Fence-machine



2 sheets-sneet- .1.

(No Model.) C'. E. OEMAET.

EENGE MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 2, 1888.

Uy VENTOR WITJVESSES N. PETRE #hammam-5mn wnhingm. DEQ

(No Model.) ZSheets-Sheet 2.

C. H. OHMART.

FBNGB'MAGHINE.

vPatented Nom-2 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. OHMART, OF WEST MILTON, OHIO.

FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION `forming pari'. of Letters Patent NO. 351,998, dated November 2, 1886.

Application filed June 1,1886.

To all whom-it may concern:

Be it known that' I, CHARLES H. Oni/mar, a citizen of the'United States, and a resident of West-Milton, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and'exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art 'to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in whichy Figure 1 is a perspective view of my irnproved fence machine in its operative position, with portions of it broken away and shown in dotted line, and also with the tension-regu-` lating device shown in a reversed position in relation to the rest of the machine. Fig.2 is a perspective view taken from the other side, and showing the tension device in the opposite position. Figf is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 4 is a top plan view. Fig. 5 is a' horizontal vsectional View of one of the twister-heads, and Fig. 6 isl a perspective detail view of one of the tension-regulating devices.

My invention relates to machines for building wire and picket fences in the place in which they are to remain; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of. parts, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in

which the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures, A A represent the top and lbottom bars-of the ma?l chine, the forward end of each of which is provided with ,the adj Listing-holes B, and the rear end with astop or hook, C. The bars are kept parallel with each other and at a certain distance apart by means of the vertical end pieces, D D, andan upright, E, is securedv to their intermediate portion by means of the brackets E, one end of each of which is provided with an eye, G, which Yfits andslides/ upon the bar,l while the other end is secured to the bar by means of abolt which can be passed throughpone'of the holes H, as desired. This upright E''isnprovidedwith awseries of holes,

'distance apart as may be desirable.

Serial N. 203,798. (No model.)

I, throughout its entire length, by means of which as Amany twister-head supports can be secured as it is desired to have strands of wire in the fence, and they can be secured at any A stay rod or brace, J is bolted to the opposite ends of these supports by means of holes similar to those in the upright E. Each of these supports consists of two plates, K, having a central perforation, and a shank or handle, L, at one side. Jou'rnaled in the perforations or bearings in each pair of these plates is a twisterhead, which consists of a sprocket-wheel, M, having ahub or axle, N. On opposite sides of this hub are grooves or channels O, extending its entire length, through which the wires pass and by means of which they are twisted between the pickets. A sprocket chain, l?, passes over the top and bottom of these sprooket-Wheels, and also engages with the intermediate sprocket-wheels upon both sides, so that a positive motion is imparted to each of said wheels, and all the twister-heads are rotated in unison, when motion is imparted to one of them, preferably the top one, by means of a bevel gear-wheel, Q, which is provided with two perforations, Q', which register with the grooves O, and with a square lug or axle, R,

upon one side, which fits in a square hole in the hub N of the twister-head. This bevelgear is operated by means ofv a bevel-pinion, S,

having a crank or other driving mechanism at the outer end of its shaft. y

A pair of toggles, T, are secured at oneend to the front ends of4 the bars A A and at the other end to beaters U U, which slide upon 'the intermediate portionsV of the/bars and are provided with a lip or lug, V, which bears against the picket when it is placed in position and holds it until'the wires can be twisted around it. These toggles are secured vtogether by means ofA a bar, IV, having a A handle, X, adjustably secured to one side. After' the picket has been secured in place by means of the twists in the strands of wire,`two levers, Y, which are pivotally secured in-slots in the rear end piece andy connected by a rod, Z, are operated by a handle on one of them, which causes the opposite ends of the levers to press against the IOC picket, which bears against the hooks or stops C and releases the same. When the picket has been released from the hooks C, the machine is drawn forward by means of a handle, A, the upper end of which is slotted, which is secured to the lower end of the upright E-and to the forward end piece, unt-il the hooks C engage with the next picket, the ends ofthe levers Y in the meantime having been withdrawn into the slots in the end piece. The beaters U are then drawn forward on the bars by means of the toggles T, another picket is inserted between the wires and forced back as far as it will go by means of the beaters and toggles, when the wires are again twisted and the hooks C again released by the levers Y, and so on until the fence is completed. The machine is kept from moving forward when pressure is applied to the toggles by the hooks G, which engage with one of the pickets, as described, and the distance between the pickets is regulated by means of the adjustingholes B and H in the bars A.

For the purpose of supporting the machine in a vertical position upon hilly or uneven ground, the forward end piece is provided with an adjustable foot-piece, B, which, with the foot-piece C on the lower end of the upright E, affords a sutticient support for the machine.

The tension-regulating device consists of a iiat board or post, D', which is secured to a stake or post driven in the ground by lneans ofthe hooks E. Upon one side of this board, preferably the opposite one to that shown in Fig. l of the drawings, are placed a series of plates, F', having au outwardly-projecting lug, G', at each corner, and two slots, H. Each o1" these lugs has a pertoration, through two of which pass the wires, and through the others the bolts I', the outer ends of which are provided with adjusting nuts, and the inner ends are provided with hooks J, which move in the slots H. In operation the strands of wire from the spools are passed in pairs through the perforations in two of the lugs G of eaeh of these tension-plates. Each one of the hooks J is then put over one of the wires and the nuts turned up until the wires are drawn out of a straight line to give the desired amount of friction as the wires pass from the spools to the machine where it is being twisted around or between the pickets.

The tension device can be placed at any distance in front of the machine, as the tensionplates prevent the wires from becoming entangled with each other, as well as regulating the tension to be given to them.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a fencemachine, the combination ofa top and a bottom bar, end pieces secured thereto, a beater upon each ol' said bars, toggles secured to each of said beaters and to the forward ends of said bars, a pressure-bar connecting said toggles, a vertical series of revolving Atwister-heads secured to the intermediate porfence.

8. In a fence-machine, the combination of a top and a bottom bar, the rear end of each of which is provided with a hook or stop, end pieces, the rear one of which is provided with slots, a lever in each of said slots, one of which is provided with a handle, a rod connecting said levers, beaters on said top and bottom bars, and a series of revolving twisterheads.

4. In a fence-machine, the combination of a top and a bottom bar, each of which is provided with adjusting-holes at its front end and near its rear end, end pieces, a bracket having an eye at one end, and means for securing the other end in said adj usting-holes near the rear of said bars, an upright secured to said brackets, twister heads secured to said upright, toggles adjustably secured to the front ends of said bars, beaters secured to said toggles, and means for securing the rear end of said machine to the fence.

5. In afence-machine, the combination of a top and a bottom bar, end pieces, and an upright secured thereto, twister-head supports secured to said upright, a rod secured to the opposite ends of said supports, a revolving twister-head in each of said supports, beaters on said top and bottom bars, and means for securing the rear end of said machine to the fence.

6. In a fence-machine, the combination of a fraaie consisting of a top and a bottom bar and end pieces, and an adjustable foot-piece secured to one of said end pieces, said frame being provided with an upright carrying a series of twister-heads:

7. In a fence-machine, the combination of a fraaie, an upright having a vertical series of twister-heads, and a handle, the forward or upper end of which is slotted, said handle being secured to said upright and to one end of said frame.

S. In a fence-machine, the combination ofa frame, an upright having a series of twisterhead supports secured thereto, a twister-head in each of said supports, consisting of a sprocket-wheel with a hub or axle, said hub having longitudinal grooves in its sides and a square hole in its center, a bevel gear-wheel having perforations registering with said grooves, and a square lug upon one side, and

IOO

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a-beveled pinion engaging with said beveled gear-wheel.

9. A tension-regulating device for fencemachines, consisting of a post or board, a series of plates secured to one side, each of said lnyown I have hereunto affixed my signature plates having an outwardly-projecting lng at in presence of two witnesses. each of its corners, and two slots. and bolts in two of said lugs, having a hook on theil` CHARLES H OHMART' 5 inner` ends and an adjusting nut on their Witnesses:

outer ends. PIERCE FRYANT, In testimony that I claim the foregoing as G. A. PEIROE. 

